In vitro feeding of hematophagous insects, including fleas, using systems comprising a cage, a food supply in a container with a feeding membrane and a food supply temperature control system have long been known. Such a system may comprise a Rutledge-type membrane feed (described in Rutledge, L.C., et al Mosquito News, pp. 407-419, December, 1964) with host blood therein as food with water circulating therethrough to control the food (blood) temperature. Successful feeding of fleas has been reported by Bar-Zeev and Sternberg, Entomol. Exp. & Appl. 5:60-68, 1962; Cerwonka & Castillo, J. Parasitol. 44:565-566, 1958; Galun, Life Sci 5:1355-1342, 1966; Kartman, Expr. Parasitol. 3:525-537, 1954; Lauer & Sonenshine, J. Med. Entomol. 14:595-596, 1978; Totze, Zentrabl. Bakt. Parasitenk. Infekt. 132:382-384, 1934. Only Lauer and Sonenshine mention observing mating, ovipositing and viable larval production, but they do not report reproduction outputs. Lauer and Sonenshine reort feeding times of 1-5 hours in a feeding chamber which is a 2 cm diameter by 5 cm high black plastic cylinder installed directly above a feeding membrane; these conditions do not enable practical flea breeding.
One object of this inventio is to provide a system and method for practical breeding of fleas, utilizing an artificial system and method, i.e. a system and method which does not rely on feeding on a host animal. The term "practical breeding" of fleas is used herein to mean breeding to obtain a reproduction output at least 10% of the reproduction output of fleas feeding on host animals. While breeding of mosquitoes and flies has been obtained based on artificial systems, the breeding of fleas relying on such systems is much more difficult. Prior to the invention herein, the inventors of the present application know of only one report of breeding fleas relying on an artificial system, and that is in the Lauer and Sonenshine article described above where the conditions utilized do not provide practical breeding. Thus, the invention herein is a unique accomplishment.